Private First Class Brandon Kalaskey

PRIVATE MELENDEZ

Private Melendez answers Travis from Laramie, Wyoming who asks; "How is the gas chamber and what do you think I can do to prepare myself for it?"

Hi, I'm Private Melendez and I'm from Palmdale, California and I’m here to answer Travis from Laramie, Wyoming he says; "How is the gas chamber and what do you think I can do to prepare myself for it?"

Actually I was like one of the worst victims in the gas chamber. I went in and once we put on our mask I didn’t feel a thing. Probably a little burn from me shaving that morning. Towards the end you’re suppose to take off your mask for at least 30 seconds and last and then head out the door, those 30 seconds and then you’re done.

I actually tried to hold my breath and get out of there without tasting not one lick of the gas. So for the first ten seconds I was hanging in there and counting the seconds off 'I'm gonna get out of there,' 'I'm gonna get out of there,' 'I'm ain’t gonna taste nothing.’ Didn’t happen, drill sergeant came up and he was looked into my face and he told me ‘Private take a breathe, breathe Private’, and I opened my eyes, took one deep breath and started to choke bad. So to answer your question, don’t hold your breath, just take as much as your can, take smooth small breaths and just don't panic. Pace yourself take small breaths, cause holding your breath is the wrong thing to do, cause I was screwed. All right that's it.